Denver Art Museum announces major exhibition of Australian Indigenous Art

The exhibition is the product of a unique cultural partnership between the National Gallery of Art and the NGV, which will facilitate the global exchange of artworks from the NGV’s permanent collection. Bank of America is the North America Tour Sponsor for the exhibition.

Curated by the NGV especially for North American audiences, the exhibition features more than 130 works by 142 artists, several of whom worked collaboratively, drawn exclusively from the NGV's world-leading collection. DAM’s presentation of The Stars We Do Not See will offer a captivating and multi-layered experience for visitors of all ages. This extensive exhibition introduces visitors to the breadth and depth of contemporary art by artists from the world’s oldest continuous living culture.

“It’s an honor to bring this incredible exhibition to our visitors and communities in Denver and hopefully many visitors from all over the state and region,” said Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the Denver Art Museum. “The Stars We Do Not See presents an exploration of Indigenous Australian art and culture, challenging visitors to examine their own perceptions of this vast and extremely diverse region.”

Through a rich display of masterpieces—many of which have never left Australia—The Stars We Do Not See traces pivotal moments in Indigenous Australian art from the late 19th century to the present.

“Presenting these defining works of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art expands our understanding of Native art globally, offering new perspectives on the deep cultural connections and artistic innovation that exist across Indigenous communities worldwide,” said John P. Lukavic, Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Native Arts at the DAM.

“At Bank of America, we believe that investments in arts and culture help to build communities and have a positive impact on the lives of our clients and employees,” said Gabby Hodgson, President, Bank of America Colorado. “We are proud to sponsor this new exhibition which allows a rare opportunity for Denver Art Museum visitors to experience significant examples of modern and contemporary Australian Indigenous art.”

The exhibition introduces audiences to Indigenous Australian contemporary art practice, including the conceptual map paintings of the Central and Western Deserts, ochre bark paintings and experimental weavings. It also highlights the work of new-media artists, who build on tradition with groundbreaking works in neon, video and photography.

Highlight works never shown in North America include Emily Kam Kngwarray’s monumental painting, Anwerlarr Anganenty (Big Yam Dreaming) (1995). At over nine by twenty-seven feet, this iconic painting from the NGV collection represents the underground network of roots and yams.

The exhibition's title is inspired by the late senior Yolŋu artist Gulumbu Yunupiŋu (1943–2012), who became known as “Star Lady.” Her intricate works, a selection of which will be featured in the exhibition, use crosses to represent the stars we can see and a dense network of dots to symbolize the stars we cannot see—the unseen expanse of the universe.

Urban-based contemporary artists working in new media are represented throughout the show, with key works by influential artists such as Brook Andrew, Richard Bell, Reko Rennie, and Maree Clarke. Included are Christian Thompson’s Burdi Burdi (Fire Fire) (2021), a four-channel sound installation and Destiny Deacon’s Snow Storm (2005), which explores how Aboriginal material culture has historically been presented in clinical, museological environments.

Through diverse art forms—from ochre bark paintings and weavings to modern and contemporary sound and video installations—visitors will explore key Indigenous Australian concepts like Country and Dreaming. Interpretation will focus on making Indigenous knowledges and ideas accessible, helping visitors understand what might appear to Western audiences as abstract patterns are complex visual maps layered with cultural knowledge, stories and law.

The exhibition emphasizes the living nature of Indigenous Australian art and culture. DAM’s presentation will employ engaging methods, drawing on the museum's existing model of hands-on, minds-on activities.

By highlighting the artists’ exploration of sovereignty, land rights and ties to community and ancestors, the exhibition will encourage visitors to recognize that Indigenous Australian art is simultaneously ancient and contemporary, serving as a powerful expression of identity and a vital vehicle for the transmission of cultural knowledge and practice.

The exhibition is organized by the National Gallery of Victoria and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in association with the Denver Art Museum, the Portland Art Museum in Oregon and the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts.

The presentation of this exhibition at the Denver Art Museum is supported by the Birnbaum Social Discourse Project, the donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign and the residents who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).

EXHIBITION TOUR

• Denver Art Museum, Colo.: April 19 – July 26, 2026
• Portland Art Museum, Ore.: Sept. 5, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
• Peabody Essex Museum, Mass.: February 27 – June 13, 2027

EXHIBITION CURATORS

The exhibition is curated by Myles Russell-Cook, Artistic Director & CEO of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) and former Senior Curator of Australian and First Nations Art, National Gallery of Victoria.

At the Denver Art Museum, the exhibition is curated and organized by John P. Lukavic, Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Native Arts, Caitlin O'Beirne, Curatorial Assistant of Native Arts and Manuel Ferreira, Interpretive Specialist.

EXHIBITION PUBLICATION

The exhibition is accompanied by a major new book published by the National Gallery of Victoria and the National Gallery of Art, in association with D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers. The richly illustrated volume features more than 100 individual artwork plates by First Nations Australian artists.